How many days in Krakow? 3 days: the old town, Kazimierz, Auschwitz and the salt mine
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Krakow escaped destruction in the Second World War and kept one of Europe's most beautiful medieval centres, but it is also the base for visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. Three days gives one to the Old Town and Wawel Hill, one to the former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz and the wartime history of Podgórze, and one to Auschwitz, combined if you wish with the Wieliczka Salt Mine on another half-day. Krakow is also one of the best-value city breaks in Europe.
Short answer
Two days covers the Old Town, Wawel, Kazimierz and Auschwitz. The third adds Schindler's Factory and Wieliczka without exhausting yourself.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: The Old Town and Wawel
Morning. Start on the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny), one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. Visit St Mary's Basilica to see Veit Stoss's carved wooden altarpiece (1489), opened at about 11:50 daily, and listen for the hejnał trumpet call played from the tower every hour, cut off mid-note in memory of a trumpeter shot by an arrow.
Afternoon. Visit the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) with its souvenir stalls and the Rynek Underground museum below the square (about 40-45 PLN), then walk down Grodzka Street to Wawel Hill: the royal Cathedral with tombs of Polish kings and the Sigismund Bell, and the Royal Castle state rooms (separate tickets).
Evening. See the Dragon's Den cave below Wawel and the fire-breathing dragon statue on the riverbank, then dinner in the Old Town.
Wawel has many separate exhibitions with limited daily tickets; buy online or early in the morning.
Day 2: Kazimierz and Schindler's Factory
Morning. Walk into Kazimierz, the old Jewish town: the Old Synagogue (now a museum), the Remuh Synagogue and cemetery, and the streets where parts of Schindler's List were filmed.
Afternoon. Cross the river to Podgórze, site of the wartime ghetto: the Ghetto Heroes Square with its empty chairs memorial, and Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory, now a museum of Krakow under occupation (about 40-50 PLN; book ahead).
Evening. Return to Kazimierz for the evening: zapiekanki (open baguette sandwiches) from the round hall on Plac Nowy, and the bars and cafés of Szeroka and Józefa streets.
The Galicia Jewish Museum in Kazimierz gives a broader view of Jewish life in the region before and after the Holocaust.
Day 3: Auschwitz-Birkenau (and Wieliczka)
Morning. Go to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum at Oświęcim (about 1.5 hours by bus or car). Entry is free, but you must book a time slot on the official site, and in busy hours visits are only possible with a guide (paid). The full visit covers Auschwitz I, with exhibitions in the brick blocks, and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, with the railway ramp and the ruins of the gas chambers. Allow at least 3.5 hours.
Afternoon. Many tours combine Auschwitz with the Wieliczka Salt Mine (about 150-160 PLN for foreign-language tours), but both in one day is emotionally and physically heavy. If you can, visit Wieliczka on a separate half-day: 2-3 km of tunnels, 135 metres underground, and the Chapel of St Kinga, carved entirely out of salt.
Evening. Have a quiet dinner in the Old Town.
Book Auschwitz as early as possible: guided slots in English sell out weeks ahead in summer. Dress respectfully and remember it is a cemetery.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do Day 1 combined with Kazimierz in the evening, and Auschwitz on Day 2. You lose Schindler's Factory and Wieliczka.
Got extra days?
With more time, visit Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains (about 2-2.5 hours) for hiking and wooden architecture, or the Ojców National Park with castles and limestone rocks (about 40 minutes).
Where to stay in Krakow
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Kazimierz / Stradom | Cheaper, lively at night, 10 minutes' walk to the square. | 250-400 PLN |
| Mid-range | Old Town (Stare Miasto) | Walk to the square, Wawel and the station. | 450-750 PLN |
| Mid-range | Podgórze | Across the river, quieter, modern hotels, near Schindler's Factory. | 350-600 PLN |
| Comfort | Historic Old Town hotels | Hotels in medieval townhouses on or near the square. | 900-2,000 PLN |
Getting around
The Old Town and Kazimierz are walkable. Trams and buses cover the rest (tickets from machines or apps, a few złoty). The airport train reaches the main station in about 20 minutes. For Auschwitz, buses leave from the main bus station next to Kraków Główny; for Wieliczka, take the train (about 20-25 minutes) or bus.
What to eat in Krakow
Polish food is filling and cheap. Eat pierogi (dumplings with potato and cheese, meat, sauerkraut or berries), żurek (sour rye soup with sausage and egg, sometimes served in a bread bowl), bigos (hunter's stew), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes) and kiełbasa from the grill vans by the Hala Targowa market at night. Snack on an obwarzanek, Krakow's ring-shaped bread, for a few złoty, and oscypek, smoked sheep's cheese from the mountains. Milk bars (bar mleczny) serve home-style meals for 25-40 PLN. Try Polish vodka or local craft beer.
Best time to visit
May to September, with highs of 20-25°C and outdoor cafés on the square. December brings a Christmas market in the Main Square and the city's famous nativity scenes (szopki). Winter is cold (around 0°C) and the air quality can be poor on still days.
Month-by-month weather for Krakow →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | 150 PLN | 300 PLN | 700 PLN |
| Food & drink | 80 PLN | 160 PLN | 350 PLN |
| Sights & tours | 50 PLN | 150 PLN | 350 PLN |
| Local transport | 10 PLN | 25 PLN | 80 PLN |
| Total per person, per day | about 290 PLN | about 635 PLN | about 1,480 PLN |
Approximate 2026 prices in Polish złoty (about 4.2-4.3 PLN to €1). Krakow charges a small tourist tax per night in some accommodation.
Before you go
Common questions
How do I book Auschwitz?
Only on the official visit.auschwitz.org site (or through tours that book there). Entry is free with a timed card, but guided visits are compulsory at busy times. Book weeks ahead in summer.
Can I do Auschwitz and Wieliczka in one day?
Yes, many tours do, but it is a 10-12 hour day and emotionally draining. Separate days are better.
Is Krakow cheap?
Yes, compared with Western Europe: meals, beer and transport are inexpensive. Hotel prices rise in summer and at weekends.
Is the Wieliczka Salt Mine worth it?
Yes: the underground chapels and lakes carved in salt are extraordinary. The tour is about 3 km and 800 steps, mostly downhill; a lift brings you up.
Can I pay in euros?
Poland uses the złoty. Pay in PLN; cards work almost everywhere. If a card terminal offers euros, choose złoty.
Is a guided Old Town tour worth it?
Yes for the stories behind the square, the dragon legend and the hejnał. Free walking tours (tip-based) leave from the square several times a day; private guides go deeper into Wawel and Kazimierz.
How this guide was made
Written by hand, without AI, from experience planning Central Europe trips. Prices and booking rules are approximate for 2026; confirm on the official Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Wawel and Museum of Krakow websites before booking.
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